Eat Outside the Box

By Jessica Hallman on September 19, 2016

Six Unique Catered Dishes that Will Make You the Star of Your Homecoming Tailgate

Let’s face it: One of the main attractions of any tailgate party is the food. Why serve up the same old burgers and hot dogs when you can wow your crowd with a fresh spin on traditional tailgate food—all without doing any of the cooking? Local caterers can serve up unique dishes and menus that will make you look like the king (or queen) of your tailgate. Here are some new dishes to try at your next pre-game party.

Bring a taste of Italy to your tailgate with a catered meal from Home D Pizzeria. You can order homemade Italian specialties, like baked penne pasta or chicken parmesan, or even specialty mac and cheese, to serve your crowd. Add a salad and garlic bread for a complete meal. Home D also serves up more traditional tailgate fare, like wings and appetizers, or their famous Home D pizza.

The name alone will get you props, but the hot rice tossed with slow simmered beans and Adobo-marinated steak or chicken is sure to please your crowd and warm their bellies on a cool autumn day. Qdoba can deliver your burrito or taco bar with all the south-of-the-border fixin's, plus dessert and non-alcoholic beverages. (208 W. College Ave., State College; 814-861-3288)

Why have a brat from a package when you can have a bratwurstplatte, two homemade all-pork sausages served with potato salad and sauerkraut. Everyone's favorite local Austrian restaurant will cater their standard menu dishes for your tailgate. And, they're open all football season for Sunday brunch after each home game. (132 W. College Ave., State College; 814-272-0738)

Sure, any local pizza joint can deliver to your tailgate. But how many can deliver a breakfast pizza topped with eggs, bacon, cheese, onions, peppers, and mushrooms on a flaky, buttery crust? Perfect for a morning tailgate before a noon kickoff, Pizza Mia! offers numerous styles of breakfast pizza—including several topped with fruit and icing—in addition to more traditional pies. (106 N. Spring St., Bellefonte; 814-355-3738; NEW LOCATION! 114 Hetzel St., State College; 814-234-1606)

A platter filled with sticky buns, sweet rolls, danish, and chocolate muffins. They promise to send extra napkins! You can also order a box (or more, if you need extra caffeine to get you through an early kickoff) of coffee to accompany this sweet breakfast treat. (110 E. College Ave., State College; 814-231-0604)